Keyboard steadying device for accordions and similar instruments



KEYBOARD STEADYING DEVICE FOR ACCORDIONS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed April 10, 1952 FIG.

FIG. '5

INVENTOR ANTHONY MONTENARE 02 ATTORNEY? Dec. 22, 1953 A. MONTENARE 2,663,210 KEYBOARD. STEADYING DEVICE FOR ACCORDIONS AND SIMILAR INSTRUMENTS Filed April 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ANTHONY MONTENARE ATTORNEY? Patented Dec. 22, 1953 KEYBOARD STEADYI CORDIONS AND SIM NG "DEVICE FOR AC- ILAR INSTRUMENTS Anthony Montenare, Reading, Pa. Application April 10, 1952, Serial No. 281,509

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a device in the nature of "an attachment for steady'ing during playing -accordions, concertinas and other similar instruments employing bellows.

An "object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a steadying device during the playing of accordions, concertinas and similar instruments.

-An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be readily attached to or detached from such in- 'struments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described in which the steadyin'g element thereof may be folded against one side of the instrument when the instrument is not being used.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of one form of the device as applied to an accordion or concertina, one side of which has beenpartly broken w Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l of a slightly modified structure;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l with the attachment removed from its retaining bracket;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of the structure shown in Fig. 1, partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 of 'a third form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational View of a fourth form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of i Fig. 9 is 'a side elevational view of a fifth form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line l!llll of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a covering plate to cover the structure shown in Fig. 9.

The present invention is in the nature of an attachment for existing accordions, concertinas and similar instruments, but, of course, it may be built into the cabinet of the instrument during the manufacture thereof. It has required a great deal of practice heretofore to maintain the keyboard in substantially one positio'nso as to: operate the keyboard with one hand while, at the same time, operating the bellows mechanism with the other hand. As is well known, an accordion player must very quickly reverse the movement of the left arm whileat the same time operating the keyboard with the right hand. In so doing, the right arm and the right knee of the player form substantially the sole means for steadying the keyboard. The instrument is usually rested upon the right knee, and the right arm is used to maintain the instrument in this position. However, the quick reversals which are necessary in obtaining the requisite amount of wind to operate the instrument at times cause the operator to shift the keyboard, making it difficult to find and operate the proper keys during the playing of the instrument. The present invention overcomes this difliculty and insures the proper positioning of the keyboard at all times, leaving the right arm, and especially the hand, of the operator free to operate the keyboard.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the accordion or concertina is indicated by the letter A. The back of the keyboard of this instrument is shown at I, and the bellows is indicated at '2. Attached by screws or similar means now shown is a bracket 4 consisting of a back portion 5 and inturned flanges 6 and 1. The lower ends of these flanges terminate in inclined portions 8 and Q. The tongue II has an end l2 provided with a downwardly projecting nose [3 and a cylindrical end or housing M for housing the upper portion I5 of the U-shaped member ID. This upper portion is prevented from rotation when the parts are located as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 due to the fact that the cylindrical housing is wider at the top as seen in Fig. 1 and'tightly engages the upper portion l5.

In the structure shown in Fig. 2 the elements are substantially the same as those shown in Fig. 1, except that the U-shaped member [6 is not tightly or frictionally held by the cylindrical end i! of the tongue l8, and it does not have a wider upper end. Moreover, the bracket I9 is provided with inturned flanges 20 and 2 I, whose lower ends 22 and 23, respectively, are cut higher so as to allow pivotal movement of the U-shaped member It. This permits free turning movement of the U-shaped member to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 occupies a minimum of space and may be readily attached to the under side of an accordion. With the arms H5 in their folded position, as seen in Fig, 2, the accordion may be placed in its case without removal from the bracket 19 and the steady'ing arms pivoted thereto. 'It will be particularly noted that these steadying arms are preferably of curved construction so as 'to lie closely against'the under side of the accordion when in their folded position. When they are in their unfolded position, these arms will engage on opposite sides of the knee of the accordion player and serve to steady the instrument, particularly during the operation of the bellows thereof.

In the third form of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the letter B indicates the accordion or concertina having keyboard back so and a bellows 3|. The underside of the casing 32 is provided with a housing 33, which is attached by suitable means, such as screws 36, to the casing. This housing has at its opposite ends pivots 35 and 36 for pivotally supporting the steadying arms 3? and 38. When these arms are fully extended, as shown in their dotted line position in Fig. 5, they are in their operative position whereby the instrument will be steadied during playing. When in their inoperative, folded position, shown in full lines in Figs. 5 and 6, the instrument may be deposited in its case. In the fourth form of the invention shown in Figs. 'Iand 8 the instrument as a whole is indicated by the letter C. This instrument is provided with a keyboard back 49 to which is attached by screws ll a plate :32. The accordion is provided with hinges 4t and 45 for supporting pivoted arms 46 and 4'5. Fig. '7 shows one of these arms 46 in its folded position, and in this position it occupies a depression :38 in the plate 52. The other arm 41 is shown in a full line position. When folded it likewise will occupy a position in its depression 49 opposite to its companion arm .45. When the arms 46 and 51 are in their operative positions, the arm 46 is as shown in dotted lines and the arm 4'! is as shown in full lines in Fig. '7.

The structure shown in Figs. 9 and is for attachment to the keyboard back 50 of an accordion indicated as a whole by D, the bellows portion of which is indicated at 5]. Attached to this keyboard back is a plate 52. The screws 53 may be used to attach the plate in fixed position. This plate is provided with dovetailed recesses, or depressions, 5d and 55 for slidably supporting the arms 56 and 51, respectively. To the left of Fig. 9 the arm 56 is shown in its folded position. while at the right of this figure the arm has been slid out to its operative position. Of course, in use both arms will be slid to the operative position, and when not in use both arms will he slid to the inoperative position whereby the accordion maybe placed in its case without interference by these arms. In order to form stops for the arms, their lower ends are provided with enlargements 58 and 59, which are adapted to engage the retaining plates 60 and ti, respectively, that are attached by suitable means, such as rivets t2 and 63, to the plate 52.

The cover plate shown in Figure 11 may be attached at the center by a screw or other attaching means not shown. The cover plate is intended to be held to the plate 52 by the screw and will remain in place during all conditions of use in order to prevent the parts of the device from catching in the clothing of the player.

' Inorder to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference has been made to the several embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specific language has been employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby contemplated and that various alterations and modifications may be made such as would occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. An attachment for an accordion, concertina or the like, consisting of a supporting means, and means movable with relation to said supporting means from an operative to an inoperative position, said last-named means including spaced arms, said supporting means including a plate and means for removably supporting said plate on one of the side walls of an accordion, concertina or the like, said arms being located in substantially the same plane as said plate in both their operative and inoperative positions, said arms when in operative position and when operated by a player in sitting position extending on both sides of the knee of a player, whereby to prevent oscillation of said accordion, concertina and the like while operating the bellows thereof.

2. An attachment for an accordion, concertina or the like, consisting of a supporting plate; a pair of spaced arms, and means mounting said spaced arms on said supporting plate whereby said arms may be moved in a plane parallel to the keyboard, said plate having means for removably attaching the same to one of the side walls of an accordion, concertina or the like, said arms being located in substantially the same plane as said plate in both their operative and inoperative positions, said arms when in operative position and when operated by a player in sitting position extend on both sides of the knee of a player, whereby to prevent oscillation of said accordion, concertina and the like while operating the bellows thereof.

3. An attachment for an accordion, concertina or the like, consisting of a supporting plate, means mounting said supporting plate on said accordion, concertina or the like, said supporting plate having a plurality of supporting means, and a plurality of arms slidably mounted in said supporting means, said plate having means for removably attaching the same to one of the side walls of an accordion, concertina or the like, said arms being located in substantially the same plane as said plate in both their operative and inoperative positions, said arms when in operative position and when operated by a player in sitting position extend on both sides of the knee of a player, whereby to prevent oscillation of said accordion, concertina and the like while operating the bellows thereof.

4. An attachment for an accordion, concertina or the like, consisting of a supporting plate, means mounting said supporting plate on said accordion, concertina or the like, said supporting plate having a plurality of supporting means, a plurality of arms slidably mounted in said supporting means, and each of said supporting means consisting of a recess of channel cross-section.

5. An attachment for an accordion, concertina or the like, consisting of a supporting plate, means mounting said supporting plate on said accordion, concertina or the like, said supporting plate having a plurality of supporting means, a

plurality of arms slidably mounted in said sup-. porting means, and each of said supporting means consisting of a recess which is dovetailed in crosssection, the spaced arms being also dovetailed channel means.

6. An attachment for an accordion, concertinaor the like, consisting of a supporting plate, means mounting said supporting plate on said accordion, concertina or the like, said supporting plate having a plurality of supporting means and a plurality of arms slidably mounted in said supporting means, said spaced arms being adapted to lie closely adjacent one side of the accordion, Concertina or the like when in inoperative position, said plate having means for removably attaching the same to one of the side Walls of an accordion, concertina or the like, said arms being located in substantially the same plane as said plate in both their operative and inoperative positions, said arms when in operative position and when operated by a player in sitting position e2:- tend on both sides of the knee of a player, whereby to prevent oscillation of said accordion, concertina and the like while operating the bellows thereof.

7. An attachment for an accordion, ccncertina or the like, consisting of a supporting plate, means mounting said supporting plate on said accordion, concertina or the like, said supporting plate having a plurality of supporting means, a plurality arms slidably mounted in said supporting means, and each of said supporting means consisting of a recess of channel cross-section, said spaced arms being adapted to lie closely adjacent one side of the accordion, ccncertina or the like when in inoperative position.

8. An attachment for an accordion, concertina or the like, consisting of asupporting plate,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,220,824 Conway Mar. 27, 1917 1,285,802 Russell Nov. 26, 1918 1,342,202 Cox June 1, 1920 1,545,279 Ross July 7, 1925 1,708,285 Truett et a1. Apr. 9, 1929 ,781,782 Kemp Nov. 18, 1930 1,370,924 Platzer Aug. 9, 1932 2,007,709 Eppens July 9, 1935 2,086,102 Stradling July 6, 1937 2,399,511 Sabiers Apr. 30, 1946 

